1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image coding method and apparatus for coding digital image data in a highly efficient manner, and to an image decoding method and apparatus for decoding the data thus coded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Variable-length coding and fixed-length coding can be used to code image data. In variable-length coding, it is known that coding such as predictive coding can be used.
Though variable-length coding is outstanding in terms of compression efficiency, once the compressed data develops an error on a transmission line, subsequent decoding of the compressed data is entirely impossible. As a result, when an error occurs in compressed data that is to be transmitted, the image develops a disturbance from this point onward and becomes extremely unattractive.